


The Bradyverse: A Ficlet Collection

by Rai_Knightshade



Series: The Bradyverse [12]
Category: Ever After High, Hawaii Five-0 (2010), MacGyver (TV 2016), NCIS
Genre: And Arista gets a named mother!, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brady learns about the birds and the bees, Cause sometimes you just gotta wax poetic about love to small children, Clubbing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional reunion, Ever after high original characters, F/F, F/M, Ficlet Collection, Flashbacks, Good Dad Jack Dalton, Jack Returns (MacGyver TV 2016), Kid Fic, M/M, Mac is a good dad he's just uncomfortable, Mac tries to explain the birds and the bees, Minor Riley/Desi but at least it's a bit more than blink and you'll miss it, One Shot Collection, Or maybe that's just me, Other tags to be added, POV Original Character, Parental Advice, Reunions, Riley/Jill is a shade above blink-and-you'll-miss-it, Sam/Desi is blink and you'll miss it for now, Stealth Crossover, Time Skips, What-If, Whump, Wild as yet unseen parents appear!, as is Bozer/Leanna, but he gets distracted, chapter 5 hits hard y'all be warned, err - Freeform, it nearly made me cry, it'll make you cry, no i'm not projecting why do you ask, outsider pov, rip to all of us I guess, so best of luck, so is Jack actually, this is just so I can get some scene ideas out into writing so I can finish the damn wedding fic, what an adhd mood, where do babies come from? Mac would like to postpone the question
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:48:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23799535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rai_Knightshade/pseuds/Rai_Knightshade
Summary: A series of ficlets from either the Bradyverse or Mac Ever After that have been running through my head for months now but are only one or two scenes so they haven't made it into an actual fic yet. The chapters are non-chronological and won't have anything to do with each other specifically, they just all fall under the umbrella as being canon to either Canon + Brady/the Bradyverse or Mac Ever After (the stealth crossover with Ever After High; some characters from EAH may show up along with some ocs for the franchise, but it'll be a bit).Author Edit: I've now marked this as complete cause after this Ficlet I don't have any more planned, at least for now. But! I may still add to this later on, so keep an eye out if this shows up at the top of a tag again!
Relationships: Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016) & Original Male Character(s), Jack Dalton (MacGyver TV 2016) & Original Male Character(s), Jack Dalton/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016), Jack Dalton/Dawn (mentioned), Jack Dalton/Diane Davis (mentioned), Jack Dalton/Sarah Adler (mentioned), Original Character(s)/Original Character(s), Riley Davis/Desiree "Desi" Nguyen, Riley Davis/JIll Morgan, Samantha Cage/Desiree "Desi" Nguyen, Wilt Bozer/Leanna Martin, past Nikki Carpenter/Angus MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016)
Series: The Bradyverse [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1561579
Comments: 80
Kudos: 36





	1. My Head's Spinning 'Round, I Can't See Clear No More (What're You Waiting For?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two years after Jack left to hunt down Tiberius Kovacs, Mac's called in for yet another mission and is feeling a little melancholy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: this technically takes place sometime in season 4, but I'm basically stopping any connection to canon at the season 3 finale, and I've already divided from canon by keeping Jill and Charlie alive. So, no James fiasco, no romance with Desi, no Phoenix disbandment, and unfortunately no Russ.... For now. Not sure if I'll add him later. Just fyi. Pretend they've been going on as they had from season 3 for two years.

"Mac, I need you to meet me in the War Room in 20 minutes; we've got a mission, and it's a big one."

"I'll be there, Matty." When the call ended with a click, Mac let his arm fall to his side. He sighed, looking at the picture on the nightstand beside him, before standing with a groan and moving to his closet for a new shirt. The smiling face of his former partner and one-time lover mocked him, even from across the room, only serving as a reminder that he hadn't seen his Texan in just over 2 full years, and didn't know when--or if--he'd see the man again.

Mac shook his head clear of melancholy thoughts, removing his shirt with a practiced motion and replacing it with a light blue button down. As he buttoned it up, he couldn't help but remember a twanged compliment that "it brings out those baby blues real nice, Mac, you're sure to knock someone dead in that outfit!" 

He silently moved on to pants and shoes, trying to think about the upcoming mission. Would it be stateside, helping a congressperson save the country? Or would it be somewhere remote, rerouting a natural disaster before it could start? Maybe he'd have to go undercover for a while, take his mind off of recent events. Who could say, though? He moved through his halls, picking up keys and his wallet along the way.

He walked to the door, but paused, hand hovered over the doorknob. He turned his head, eyes automatically moving to the black leather jacket lying innocently on the couch. He warred with himself, looking back and forth between the door and the jacket, before sighing in frustration and turning back. He grabbed the jacket from it's home on the couch and shrugged it on, briefly inhaling the scent of the leather that had long since lost its original owner's personal tang.

Finally, he stepped out the door into the morning California sunshine.

* * *

Walking down the hall, Mac was puzzled by the lack of Phoenix personnel he saw along the way. It was eerie how quiet the building seemed, as if it was holding its breath for something? Mac resolved to ask Matty about it in the War Room. 

He turned the final corner, the War Room coming into view. He couldn't see inside, the windows were frosted over... Until suddenly they weren't. A few steps closer, and suddenly they were again. Even more confused, he quickened his pace, meeting Matty at the door.

"Hey, what's with the windows? They're switching from frost to clear pretty erratically. And where is everyone?"

"I'm not sure why the windows are doing this; Jill thought it might be a tripped breaker wreaking havoc, and went down to check. As for the lack of personnel, it's a slow day so I sent a lot of people out for extended lunches; they'll be back in time for your mission." Matty paused to let that information sink in, before continuing her explanation. "Speaking of your mission, you'll have to wait here for a minute while I go get some new Intel that just came in; I'd have Jill do it but for obvious reasons that's not an option. The rest of your team should be arriving in a moment, I've left the non-classified Intel up on the screen for you to read up on while you wait. I'll only be a couple minutes, alright Blondie?"

"That's fine, I can wait."

Matty smiled ruefully. "Good. Don't burn down the War Room until I get back; the insurance company will have a fit." Mac laughed quietly as he watched her leave, his chuckles dying down quickly.

He turned and walked into the War Room, the windows frosting over immediately. Had they not, he would have seen the boot-clad figure slowly making their way down the hall towards the door, opposite of the way Matty went.

But they did, so Mac didn't; instead, he moved towards the front of the room, reading the information on the screen. Looked like demographics for the city of LA, specifically the area around Hollywood. A hometown mission, then; that'd be easy. He read through the briefing, noting the layout of the neighborhood he'd be visiting, a gate community for some B-list celebrities. He'd be posing as some minor celeb named Till, something about being a teen heartthrob before going to the big screen as an action hero. He hadn't been on-screen in a while, though, so it would be easy to explain away minor differences in appearance as natural growth.

Mac was so engrossed in the material that he didn't notice the footsteps at the door. He did, however, notice the windows clearing, and automatically swung his eyes in their direction. That meant, however, that he could finally see the figure at the door out of the corner of his eye.

* * *

The next few moments, when asked to recall them later, would blur together in Mac's memory. One moment, he was looking at the screen in front of him; the next, he was in Jack's arms. But an outside observer would have seen the following:

The windows, previously frosted, would clear, revealing Mac at the front of the room, and Jack at the back, still in his army fatigues, duffle bag dropping to the ground at his side. They'd see Mac whirl around, blonde locks falling in his eye. A hand would come up to cover his mouth, muffling the words he was saying. Jack's lips could be read as he spoke, though the sound was blocked by the walls; words of love, apology, and anguish.

The observer would see each man take a step forward, before Mac breaks out into a run towards his partner. Curiously, though, the windows would have gone grey for a moment just as Mac was about to reach the wayward Texan; presumably that glitch acting up again. The observer might wait anxiously, wanting to know how the reunion was going, when just as suddenly the windows would clear again.

They'd reveal both men, locked in a passionate kiss, wrapped so tightly around each other that it was hard to tell where one stopped and the other began. They'd part for a moment to breathe, then immediately come back together as if pulled by molecular forces beyond their control. And for a moment, all the world around them ceases to exist, save for each other.

Then the windows would grey again, and the observer would move quietly away, gathering up the rest of her team while letting the lovers reunite in privacy, plan perfectly executed to its conclusion, even down to the "glitching" windows.

Matilda Webber is  _ very _ good at her job.


	2. Lovin' You Means So Much More (You Drive Me Crazy)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack's in for a surprise when Destiny comes calling for his boyfriend Angus Mac Cumhaill. Predates The Kidnapping by a few months.

"Don't freak out!"

Jack Dinadan stopped in his tracks, a concerned look on his face. His boyfriend stood in front of him, blocking his way into the home they shared in Bookend. The man looked like he'd rolled through a forested hill, covered in dirt, twigs, leaves, and other detritus. Combined with the wild look in his blue eyes, he looked more like a dryad than the descendent of a Celtic King.

"...Darlin', if you don't want me freakin' out, the worst thing to tell me is 'not to freak out', especially when you look like you fought a an Ent and lost." The knight's tone was bone dry, a single eyebrow raised.

Angus Mac Cumhaill shrugged sheepishly, running a nervous hand through his hair. "Yeah, just.... I'm not sure how to explain this, and I'm worried this could break us and I just want you to keep an open mind before you say anything." Jack only grew more concerned, opening his mouth to protest when a sudden crash from the direction of the bathroom interrupted them.

Mac whirled around, already darting towards the bathroom. "Hey! Are you ok in there?!" He seemed to pause and correct himself under his breath, though Jack couldn't understand why. "Why would you ask that, he's not gonna answer!"

The bathroom door opened just before Mac could reach it, revealing the source of the noise: a young child, maybe 5 or 6 years old, with a few scars across his arms and face and water from a recent bath dripping down his torso. He was blonde, blue eyed, had a cleft chin if Jack was seeing things right, and.... Oh.

**_Oh._ **

Jack watched dumbstruck as Mac cautiously approached the child, kneeling to the boy's level and uttering calming words. They seemed to work, or maybe the boy just recognized who was talking to him, because he stayed calm long enough for Mac to look him over and make sure he wasn't hurt from presumably falling in the bathroom.

A few moments later (thankfully by the time Jack managed to get his brain back online), the two blondes turned to face Jack, with Mac pulling the child in close to his side. He looked up at Jack with a vulnerable expression.

Jack was very succinct in his thoughts on the situation.

"Son of a witch."

* * *

"So Nikki was already pregnant when she left and finished out her role, but you didn't realize it. Now this kid shows up in the forest where you get Sam's potion ingredients with a note saying he's your son and the next Oísin. And now you've got a little blonde Mac Cumhaill runnin' around your home, investigating everything because he's been raised in the woods his whole life by his mom, the were-deer, who's maybe dead but no one really knows. That about sum it up, hoss?"

Mac nodded wearily, watching his newfound son dart curiously around the living room. "That's... The long and the short of it, yeah. The note says his name's Bradán, by the way."

"Like the fish?!"

"Mac Cumhaill's aren't known for their naming capabilities, Jack."

"Ok fair enough." Jack paused, and put a hand over his boyfriend's on the couch they were sharing. "So... What happens now?"

Mac shrugged, not looking up so he wouldn't have to see any anger or disgust in Jack's eyes. "I don't know. I guess I let the authorities know that I've found my Oísin, and the next part of the story goes on; I raise him as best I can on my own."

"Now hold on a minute! Who said anythin' about raisin' him alone?" Mac whipped his head up to look Jack in the eye, seeing nothing but love shining there.

"I-i just, I figured you-- you wouldn't want to be with me, anymore, not with a kid that isn't even yours showing up out of the blue courtesy of my ex girlfriend. Most people turn tail at the sign of a kid."

"Guess I'm not like most people," Jack said nonchalantly, "cause I'm stayin' right here if you'll have me." He took Mac's face in his other hand, bringing their foreheads together and slowing his breathing to sync with Mac's. "I love you, baby, surprise kid and all; I'm not gonna run away from you when you need me the most. Kids aren't a deal breaker, even if they're not mine biologically. If you want me here, as your partner, I'll be here, and I'll help you raise him as best I can. That sound alright with you?"

Mac was in awe, blue eyes filling with tears. He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's... Grimm, that's more than alright with me, Jack. I just can't believe you'd do that for me."

"I'd do anything for you, Angus." And he punctuated his statement with a soft kiss, lingering for a long moment.

The moment was interrupted when Bradán growled from his seat on the floor. Mac and Jack broke apart to see the child glaring up at Jack, teeth bared. "What, I ain't hurtin' your Daddy none, promise!" The child seemed unconvinced, and advanced on Jack, still growling menacingly as only a young child can. Mac hid a giggle behind his hand as Jack sighed long-sufferingly. "Look, kid, I promise, hugs and kisses don't hurt none, and I'll prove it to ya!" He threw his arms out in an open gesture.

Bradán decided this was his moment to attack, and lunged for Jack's torso. He impacted with an oof, but Jack, trained from years as a knight, quickly gathered the squirming child up in his arms until he was locked into a bear hug.

Mac laughed openly even as Bradán growled and thrashed, trying to break free. Jack held firm, however. "Oh no you don't, little bugger, you're stayin' right there and I'm gonna give you so many kisses ya won't know what hit ya." With that, Jack planted a big wet kiss on the top of the boy's head, his beard brushing against the blonde locks.

Brady immediately stopped wriggling, his growls softening. "Oh ho ho? I bet you didn't see that comin', huh?" Jack gave him another kiss, and the boy tilted his head in confusion, growls silencing entirely. "Bet you didn't realize how nice kisses were, did ya? Not so tough when you're the one gettin' cuddled." The more kisses were administered, the softer Bradán got, until he was curled up quietly in Jack's lap, rubbing his head against the man's chest.

"That's it, there you go; see, I'm not hurtin' you none, and I wasn't hurtin' your Daddy neither. All you needed was some love and affection, and I got that in spades." He looked up at Mac, who was grinning brightly, love shining in his eyes. "Now, I think you're gonna need a nickname, boyo; Bradán Mac Cumhaill is a bit of a mouthful." Jack lifted his eyes in thought for a moment, before making an "aha!" sound. "I know! How about.... Brady?"

Bradán giggled childishly, patting Jack's arm where it was still wrapped around him. Mac reached out and laced his fingers with his son's, resting both hands in Jack's arm. "I think that sounds perfect, Jack."

"It's decided then! Brady Mac Cumhaill, I'd like to officially welcome you to our Happily Ever After."


	3. So Baby Come Light Me Up (A Little Bit Dangerous)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ImpossiblePluto and BadWolfRun are bad influences, so have some Eyeliner!Jack + Club Outfit!Mac shenanigans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't strictly a Bradyverse fic, but there's nothing to say that it couldn't have happened before Brady showed up either, so. (Well except for the Riley/Desi, but they could have dated and broken up before getting with Jill/Sam respectively, so it still fits.) Ymmv, basically.

"Ok, now just hold still a little while longer... There!" Mac capped the liquid eyeliner he'd been using to line Jack's eyes. "You're ready for a night out at the club."

"Finally!" Jack groaned in relief as he pulled away from the makeup chair, stretching out his limbs. "Not that I don't enjoy the view, babe, but even having you close wasn't enough to make that comfortable."

Mac tsked sympathetically. "I know, but you're done now, all you have to do is get dressed." He gestured towards the Phoenix closet across the dressing room from them. "Meanwhile, my stylist should be here to dress me up in... 3, 2, 1--"

"Hey!" Called a new voice from the door, "Sorry I'm late, had to grab a few extra things for your makeup Agent Macgyver. So, who's ready to get all dolled up?"

Jack winced in sympathy.

* * *

An hour later, Jack was awestruck by the results of the stylist's work. Mac's eyes were rimmed in kohl and blue shadow, making his already prominent ice blue eyes pop. His hair was artfully styled across his forehead, the longer bits pulled back into a tiny ponytail. His leather pants complimented his long legs, and his dress shirt and jacket were just tight enough to emphasize his biceps.

Jack... Might be drooling. Just a little.

"Close your mouth, big guy, we've got a job to do," Mac said fondly as he breezed past his partner and out the door. Jack followed numbly, waving to the stylist and adjusting his studded black cowboy hat.

* * *

"Any sign of the target?" 

Jack kept his eyes peeled, alternating between scanning the dance floor and glancing at his partner as he chatted idly with a waitress. "Not yet Dez, we'll let you know when we see them."

"Maybe you need to cause a distraction, pull him out of the woodworks?" Matty commented idly. Mac pulled away from the waitress and drew close to Jack, cuddling up in the guise of a flirty lover rather than a trained operative masking his moves.

"I could make one, the booze behind the counter should react nicely if I could get my hands on some antacids..."

Jack chuckled and put a finger on Mac's lips, silencing him. "Nah, baby, not that kind of distraction." Mac looked up at him in confusion. "She meant more like a... Live bait kind of distraction; pull him out for a good time while distracting the bartender enough to slip in the tranquilizer."

Mac still looked confused. "How am I gonna distract both of them at once? Shouldn't I set up something at the other end to keep the bartender away?"

Jack looked at him with a single raised eyebrow. "Darlin', you're wearing leather pants tight enough to strangle a man, a shirt that's a size too tight on you, and blue eye shadow that makes your eyes look even bigger than they normally do. You just gotta smile and wink at 'em."

"Oh." Mac thought about that for a second. "...You mean like this?" And proceeded to give Jack a smile and a wink that would have a lesser man spontaneously combusting.

"Yeah, baby, just like that," Jack absolutely did not whimper.

"Cut with the sex noises and get going, Jack, so we can all go home," Desi griped over the comms. Jack griped right back.

"Oh, like if Riley were to walk up to you in heavy eyeliner and leather you wouldn't melt right then and there, Nguyen?"

"T-this isn't about me!" Riley cackled in the background as Desi protested. "Just get going!"

"Alright, alright, I'm going," Mac said fondly, standing and giving Jack a kiss on his cheek.

"Knock 'em dead, Mac!" Jack couldn't see to confirm, but he was sure Riley was giving a thumbs up as she spoke.

* * *

"Congratulations, gentleman, you actually managed to nab him without blowing anything up." Matty's voice was impressed as she spoke over the comms.

"Don't jinx us, Matty, the night's still young," Mac joked, handing off the turncoat informant to the Phoenix tac team that had arrived behind the club. Once the man was handed off, Jack sidled up and threw an arm around his boyfriend, pulling the blonde into the side of his leather jacket and sticking a hand in the back pocket of Mac's pants. "I'm guessing we're off the hook for the rest of the night, then?" Mac continued, voice barely hitching.

"I still need you two to come in for a debrief, but after that you're in the clear."

"What was that Matty?" Jack said overly loudly, making hissing and popping sounds in Mac's ear. The other man could barely contain his giggles at the act. "You're kinda-- breakin' up--- here-- but see-- tomorrow!!"

"Dalton I know you're not--!" Matty was cut off as Jack unceremoniously turned off the comms, pocketing both earpieces to be returned later. Mac laughed outright even as he was pulled closer, brushing his nose with Jack's and letting the Texan's hands roam his back.

"Now, how about we have some  _ real _ fun, sweetheart?"

"Bring it on, cowboy."

* * *

Back at the Phoenix, Matty just shook her head. "Don't bother turning the comms back on, Riley, you don't wanna hear what they're doing anyways. They can debrief tomorrow, you're all dismissed." 

Riley sighed in relief, taking off her headset and standing up to stretch. As she walked out of the room, she linked hands with Desi, pulling the other woman along with her. Matty could just hear the start of another conversation as they walked down the hall together.

"So, what was that about me and eyeliner, Dez?"


	4. I Wanna Hold Your Hand (I Can't Hide)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Professor Mac Cumhaill's Science and Sorcery class is interrupted; luckily no one really minds.

"Ok class, today we'll be learning about the laws of thermagicaldynamics, or how the laws of thermodynamics from science are applied to magic and sorcery! If you'll open your books to page 64..."

The students in Professor Mac Cumhaill's Science and Sorcery class groaned, but obediently opened their textbooks to the prescribed page. Rose de Beauté listened diligently, taking notes where she needed on her mirrorpad, and occasionally IMing her boyfriend Andre when the professor went off on an unrelated tangent.

Rose was incredibly glad she'd gotten Professor Mac's hour of Science and Sorcery; she shuddered to think of what she would have to endure had she been in Professor Stiltskin's class instead. She didn't think she'd learn half as much, quite honestly.

Then again... It was rather hard to concentrate when your teacher's bright blue eyes and wide smile were so distracting. Rose was far from the only student in the class to have a crush--even Andre wasn't immune! She was a champion at tamping down her thoughts, though, so it never posed much of a problem for her....until now, that is. For whatever reason, no matter how thoroughly the professor went over how magical energy could neither be created nor destroyed, but could only change forms, it never seemed to stick; she would always find herself drawn back to the way his eyes danced with excitement, or his hands gesticulating wildly, or his cheekbones' sharp angles highlighting his chiseled jaw....

Rose was jerked from her daydreams by an incoming IM. She discreetly looked down only to find that her boyfriend was in the same boat.

Text from: Andre Fairchild aka My Impish Prince 💓😍💓

Contents: is it just me, or is Professor Mac Cumhaill looking particularly distracting today?

You: you too?! I thought it was just me!  _ Mon dieux _ but his hands are distracting!!!

My Impish Prince 💓😍💓: the blue eyes have been getting to me; no one's eyes should sparkle like that under artificial lighting! No one!!!

Text from: Venetia Soulsong aka Butterfly Effect😘🌺🦋

Contents: oooo are we gushing over Professor Mac? I heard he's dating Ms. Paulsen over in Experimental Fairy Math; I don't think it's true though, cause I've caught glimpses of his String, and it always leads outside the school. 🤔🤔🤷🤷

You: I heard he debunked that theory in another class though and said he had a boyfriend that lived off-campus with him?

My Impish Prince 💓😍💓: either way, I'm not surprised he's taken; anyone with a chance of dating him would be a jester's fool not to take it!

Rose was just typing a response when a sudden commotion at the front of the class made her look up. Professor Mac Cumhaill had stopped the lesson and appeared to be talking to a young boy who had wrapped himself around the man's legs. They conversed quietly for a moment before Professor Mac sighed ruefully and picked up the child, settling him on his hip.

He turned back to the class. "Sorry for the interruption, guys, I'll get back to the lesson in a minute. First, though, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Brady; he'll be joining us for the day as we learn about thermagicaldynamics. Say hi, Brady." The boy waved shyly, hiding his face in his father's shoulder.

The class chorused a "hello!" back. Rose and some other students also cooed over the cute little boy.

"Now, where were we? Oh yeah, the law of equivalent exchange!" Professor Mac turned towards the chalkboard, Brady still on his hip. "Now, you already know that heat..."

After a few more minutes of lecturing and note taking, Rose risked a glance at her IM's.

Butterfly Effect 😘🌺🦋: he has a kid too?!?! He's gonna be the single biggest heartthrob at the school before the end of the year, I just know it!

You:  _ Oui! _ He'll be the talk of the school within the hour as well!

The class went on like this for another 20 minutes, with Rose alternating between taking diligent notes and commenting on the class with her friends. The class was just finishing up, however, when another commotion started up outside, culminating in the door slamming open just as every student's head was lifted to see it.

"MAC! I can't find--!" Called the man at the door frantically, before freezing when he saw the Professor's son on his hip. The child waved happily.

"Hi Jack!!!"

The man in camo pants and a sword just blinked. "...Oh."

The Professor was not nearly so startled, and looked down at Brady with a stern expression. "Brady, did you  _ tell _ Jack that you were coming to visit me?" The lost-sheepish expression on the boy's face answered that question, but the man (presumably Jack) piped up with a verbal answer.

"No he absolutely did not! One minute he was playing in the living room, I turned around and the next minute he was gone! I've been looking all over for him ever since!" Jack ran a nervous hand through his short-cropped hair, leaning against the door jam with a sigh. "The kid damn near gave me a heart attack!"

Professor Mac's expression verged on a glare. " _ Bradán _ ."

"I'm sorry Daddy! I didn't mean t'make you mad, I just wanted to see you! And your class is  _ way _ more intersting than stayin' home!"

Mac shook his head. "Brady, honey, that's fine, but you can't sneak out to see me; you have to ask Jack first and let him bring you up here, alright? It's dangerous to go alone, what if you'd been taken? Jack and I would have had no idea where you'd gone!"

Jack walked up to the blondes. "You can come visit Daddy outside of class whenever you want, kiddo, but you have to ask first or I won't know that you want to go."

Brady looked up at both men in turn, before sighing and hiding his face in Mac's shoulder once again. "Ok, I'll ask before I come next time. I'm sorry Daddy and Jack."

Professor Mac smiled softly. "We forgive you, Brady." He shifted so that he was closer to Jack. "Now, why don't you go with Jack back to my office so we can all go to lunch together; class is just about finished anyways so you won't be missing anything." Brady nodded and accepted the hand off to Jack, who settled him on his own hip before giving the Professor a kiss on the cheek and walking out the door. He didn't appear to notice the loud gasps that sounded in the room.

Professor Mac Cumhaill, however, did. "Sorry for the interruption again, guys," he said lost-sheepishly, running a hand through his hair and brushing it out of his eyes. "Class is almost over, so I guess I'll answer your questions for these last few minutes." Nearly every hand in the class was in the air before he finished speaking. "Oh, wow, ok. Uhm.... Miss Soulsong first."

Venetia wasted no time in confronting the elephant in the room. "Who was that, Professor Mac? Why did he kiss you before he left??" Rose and the rest of the class nodded, having wondered the same thing.

The Professor blushed a deep apple red all the way up to his ears. "I meant questions about the material, but I'm guessing none of you are gonna ask about that, huh?" The entire class shook their heads. "Alright then, I'll just come out with it: that was my boyfriend, Sir Jack Dinadan." 

The whole class oooooed in the way that only gossipy students can. One of the other students piped up. "I thought you were dating Miss Paulsen?" About half the class nodded in agreement.

Mac laughed, shaking his head. "No, no, I'm not dating Miss Paulsen; we're close friends, more like siblings really, and she's been helping a lot with Brady, but no, definitely not dating. I've been dating Jack for almost a year now, actually, if anyone was curious." Rose raised her hand. "Yes, Miss de Beauté?"

"Are you two, how you say, living together, Professor?"

Mac nodded, a soft smile appearing on his face. "Yup, we live together, have for about 6 months now actually."

"Do you love him?" The class went dead silent.

Mac nodded. "With all my heart; there's no one else I'd rather be with for the rest of ever after."

The whole class awwwwed at that.


	5. what's gonna be left of the world if you're not in it? (every stumble and each misfire I miss you more)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visitor 4 years after Mac left the Phoenix leads to a mission that changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aka Good Grief: A Bradyverse Alternate Timeline  
> Deals heavily with loss and death. Like it ends happy, but I'm gonna sucker punch you about 10 times to get there, so be warned. If you crave some sweet sweet cathartic angst/comfort, though... Here ya go.  
> Note: flashbacks are indicated by bars, italics, and a change of alignment. There's two different styles, sorry if it gets confusing ^^;

Angus MacGyver stared suspiciously at the woman in front of him. Matilda Webber had always been an imposing woman despite her smaller stature, and that hadn't abated in the years since he'd left her organization. So she stared resolutely back.

"I thought you said the cult would be my last mission," the blonde said flatly, nodding pointedly at the 1 year old currently playing on his living room floor. 

* * *

_"Mac, you're not gonna believe this."_

_"What did you find, Dez?"_

_"A baby!"_

_"...wHAT?!"_

_"Agent Macgyver, the DNA test results came back for the child; she matches two former Phoenix agents almost exactly, as well as one of the former cult members."_

_"What're you going to name her?"_

_"...Eliza. Eliza May Dalton."_

* * *

"It was going to be; I didn't plan on bothering you again unless it was to visit my niece and nephew. But this mission... This is big, Sunshine, and we need you to be a part of it." She pulled out a picture, clearly taken from an aircraft, and slid it over to Mac. " _He_ needs you."

Mac looked down at the image, and a single tear ran down his cheek.

* * *

_"I've gathered you all here because I finally have an update on the Kovacs mission." Riley, Bozer, and Desi all leaned forward in anticipation, ready to hear what Matty had to say about their missing team member. Mac, however, stayed leaned back, suspicious of Matty's demeanor._

_"As of 800 hours this morning our time, Tiberius Kovacs was confirmed killed; Agent Dalton took the final shot, and one of his team members confirmed that Kovacs was finally dead." Everyone in the room cheered at the success, but Mac stayed silent, concern only growing. Despite her words, Matty didn't look like she was announcing a victory for the forces of good; Mac commented as such._

_"That's great to hear, Matty; so why do you look like you're about to tell us something terrible?"_

_Matty looked him directly in the eye, leaning heavily against the screen wall. "Because, Sunshine," she said softly, quieting all noise in the room, "that is unfortunately exactly what I have to do. And for once, I'm not sure how to say it."_

_A pin could drop and the sound would have been deafening in that moment, the other team members watching Matty with fear in their eyes. "What happened?" Riley finally whispered._

_So Matty explained._

_"At 800 hours, Kovacs was confirmed killed, and the team packed up and waited for exfil. At 900 hours, the exfil plane departed, with all strike team members aboard." As she spoke, a slight waver appeared in her voice, uncharacteristically. "And... At 9:30 am our time, the plane containing the entire strike team was hit by an anti-aircraft missile, likely from one of Kovacs' supporters. The plane went down in the jungle, and a fire ball was seen 15 minutes afterwards. Rescue efforts are underway, but with the forest so dense and the crash site so remote, plus the knowledge that the plain blew up after impact... There is very little hope that anyone survived the crash." The entire team openly sobbed, coming together as Matty spoke her final words._

_"It is for that reason that all members of the strike team, including leader Jack Dalton, Jr., Are presumed Killed In Action."_

* * *

* * *

The Phoenix looked much like it had 8 months before, when Mac had last visited. The tech had updated some, and new wings were being added or remodeled, but ultimately it was the same Phoenix he'd known for over a decade at this point. He waved at personnel that knew him as he walked through the building, but didn't stop to talk; he was needed in the War Room urgently.

Waiting for him in the room, once he reached it, was every member of his old team. Riley looked up from the computer balanced on her swollen stomach, a grin lighting her features. Behind her, Jill also looked up from where she'd been looking over her wife's shoulder. Across from them, Sam and Desi stood up, already reaching for the hugs he knew were coming. But they had to get through Bozer first, who was already pulling Mac into one of the strongest hugs he'd felt in years.

"We missed you, man," Mac's best friend whispered in his ear.

"I missed you guys too, Boze."

For the next few moments, greetings were made, new pictures of children shared ("Too bad you didn't bring the kids, man; Leanna and the girls would have loved to see them!" "Sorry, Boze, I was in a bit of a rush and Valerie's dad said he'd watch them, so I went with him. I'll bring them back down for a reunion when this is all over though."), Until finally Matty came in and the briefing could start. Along with her came another pair of operatives, unknown to all but Mac, who greeted Steve McGarrett-Williams and Daniel Williams-McGarrett like old friends.

The mission was outlined: infiltrate and rescue if at all possible, infiltrate and extract if the asset was already gone. Mac and Desi would each lead a TAC team alongside McGarrett and Williams, and search the enemy compound until either the place was cleared or the asset was located. Riley and Jill would run tech support from the Phoenix, monitoring comms and using the enemy tech against them. Sam and Bozer would wait with a small team and the pilot at the exfil site, in case anyone tried to disable the plane or if the TAC teams came in hot. Wheels up in 30.

* * *

* * *

_"Hey, hoss?"_

_"Yeah, Jack?"_

_"What do you think it'd be like to survive a plane crash?"_

_"I dunno, probably not fun considering you'd be burnt or broken or any number of painful things. Why do you ask?"_

_"No reason, just thinkin' out loud. Might be kinda cool, to be the lone survivor of a plane crash, beaten and bloodied but still not givin' up."_

_"Sure, Jack."_

* * *

* * *

The plane ride into the jungle of south east Asia was a quiet one; everyone knew the importance of the mission, what it meant to the team leaders, and so no one wanted to break the silence or trivialize the emotions that Mac and the others were feeling.

Mac himself was pensive, staring off into the clouds as he thought about the years that had passed since he'd worked at the Phoenix, and the reason he'd left in the first place.

* * *

_"Agent Macgyver?"_

_"Yes?" Mac asked, turning to see a tech he didn't recognize running for him._

_"The director needs to see you," the ensign panted, "immediately. She's in the War Room, sir."_

_Mac thanked them and headed for the aforementioned War Room, only to find Matty, his father, and a man he didn't recognize standing there. They all wore grim expressions on their faces, the tone matched by the video up on the screen behind them. It reminded Mac of a similar scene a year earlier, but he immediately shoved those thoughts away, not wanting to dwell on past losses and grief. He was fine. Really._

_"Matty? Dad? What's going on?"_

_"Angus..." James Macgyver started to speak, then paused. "I think you'd better sit down, son." Mac did as he was asked, worry only growing. "Angus, this is Special Agent Gibbs, of NCIS. Normally he's based in Washington DC, but he's here today because of a case his team is working on." James deferred to the Agent, who stepped back and gestured towards the screen behind him. His voice was gruff as he spoke, his whole demeanor reminding Mac of the many other special forces men he'd known over the years._

_"Two days ago, Quantico Marine Corps Base was attacked from the inside; a bomb went off in one of the CIA/FBI training facilities housed there. We learned when we arrived on scene that the CIA had been running a course on special ops there for the Marines, and that several CIA agents were possibly targets of the attack." He paused, and said in a somewhat softer voice, "One of those agents, who died in the attack, was a woman named Nikki Carpenter."_

_Mac's head fell into his hands, hot tears rushing to his eyes. He didn't cry, not outright, but it was a near thing; his grief overflowing for the woman whom he'd once loved so much. The others gave him a moment to grieve, knowing the blow they were dealing was about to be compounded further._

_Matty was the one who spoke next. "We know this is a hard loss for you Mac, but there's something else you should know." Mac looked up with bloodshot eyes, confused._

_"Agent Carpenter was unmarried, had no known romantic relationships over the years besides you, Agent Macgyver." Agent Gibbs took out a picture, and handed it to Mac as he spoke. "She did, however, leave someone behind: her son, Brayden Carpenter. He turns 5 in a few weeks."_

_Mac finally let his tears fall, a hand covering his mouth as he looked down at the picture in his hand. The image was blurring as the tears obscured his vision, but there was no mistaking the way the young boy in the picture was a spitting image of Mac at 5 years old._

_And all he could think was 'I wish Jack was here.'_

* * *

Mac looked down at the most recent picture he'd taken of his kids, stored carefully in a necklace on his chest. Brady'd grown some since their first meeting 4 years before, but the smile was the same sweet smile he'd always had, the same laughing blue eyes, so very like Mac's own. And there was little Eliza, his baby girl, smiling in her big brother's lap, her own brown eyes contrasting the blue, but still fitting in their little family. Mac smiled softly, vowing to finally bring home the rest of their little family, when he was interrupted by someone coming to sit in front of him.

He looked up to see Steve there, a melancholy smile on his face. "You ready for this, Mac? No matter what we find in that jungle?"

Mac looked the ex-SEAL directly in the eye. "Absolutely."

* * *

* * *

_"You know you're always welcome at Wildfire, love."_

_"I know, Mama, I just.... It doesn't feel right, without..."_

_"It's not the same without JJ, is it?"_

_"No. No it's not."_

* * *

Jungles, to no one's surprise, are hot and rather dense when you're trying to get through them stealthily. Good thing everyone on the team had experience with exactly that, so by the time they reached the compound, neither team had been spotted. In the darkness of night, Mac and his team (secondarily led by McGarrett) came in from the south, while Desi and Williams came in from the East in order to cover more ground.

As a team, they slowly made their way through the camp, silencing any wayward enemy that happened upon them (non-lethally if at all possible), and steered clear of others. Both teams got halfway through their areas of the encampment with still no sign of the asset they were looking for.

Mac was growing desperate, despair clouding his thoughts, when he passed a small shack, out of the way of the rest of the base. Mac barely glanced at it, but had to double-take: there, next to the glorified shed, was a broken and burned airplane seat, the kind most commonly used in US Air Force transports. On a hunch, Mac signalled for McGarrett to follow him, and crept slowly up to the door. He picked the locks, and quietly the door swung open.

The inside of the shack was sparse, only a cot and a toilet as furnishings. And on that cot lay a moving mass, barely covered by a blanket. It startled awake, backing up towards the far wall in fear. And in a voice, rusty with disuse but unmistakeable as the voice that haunted Mac's dreams and memories, the mass spoke.

"Who are you?"

"Someone who loves you."

* * *

_"That could be us, ya know? We could totally be Han and Luke!"_

_"Really? I'd have pegged us as Han and Leia if I had to guess; I'm Leia, of course."_

_"I could see that. You'd make a dashing prince of Alderaan."_

_"Of course I would. And I suppose you have the charm of a rogue and a scoundrel... When you aren't being a giant teddy bear."_

_"Hey!"_

* * *

* * *

Jack Dalton... Had been having a pretty shitty past few years, if he was being honest. Getting shot down on your way home from a two year mission? That was particularly cruel, though not as cruel as his eventual captors could be. Yeah, sure, they sort of helped him heal from his wounds, but not enough to leave him without scars. Even now, 5 years later, the vision in his left eye was foggy at best, the burn scars across his back pulled whenever he was out in the sun working the ground, and his limp was more pronounced than it would have been with more active medical attention. So that sucked. As had the fact that all of his escape attempts had failed, though for some reason they still kept him alive (beaten up for the attempt, of course, but that's worlds away from shot dead so Jack was gonna take it). And not having anyone looking for him on account of the plane crash was a downer.

Yeah, okay, the past 5 years had _sucked ass_. 

It was all worth it, though, for this moment. This moment, right here, when he heard his boy's voice for the first time in, god, 7 years? Really?? When Mac collapsed in front of his cot like a broken marionette, pulling Jack's face in with his hands as if he wanted to memorize every inch of it by touch and sight alone, when Mac pulled him in for the softest kiss he'd ever felt. Having Mac here, rescuing him like he had so many times before, it was all worth it.

He watched in a daze as Mac pulled back with a smile, whispering into his comm that the package was secure, heading for exfil, leave no trace. A staticky affirmative could faintly be heard, before Mac stood up and gently pulled Jack to his feet, turning to the man in TAC gear at the door. They spoke briefly as Mac situated himself under Jack's arm on his bad side, and good lord, was that McGarrett? Mac apparently wasn't messing around this time; good to know.

Getting out of the camp was surprisingly uneventful; the only bit of excitement came when everyone came together and Jack realized there were two whole TAC teams there just for little ol' him. Desi gave him a bear hug, which was crazy, but she seemed happier than when he'd last seen her so he supposed that it was part of her softening from the influence of Mac. He could relate. Mac himself chuckled softly when Desi all but threw herself at Jack, letting them reunite for a moment before gently easing Desi away so they could make the trek back to exfil before the compound realized they were a prisoner short.

It was quiet along the way, everyone clearly ready to get home, Jack included. In fact, in a role reversal that sent Jack's head spinning, Mac did most of the talking between them, explaining what all had happened since he'd left all those years before. Jack was amazed at all of it, especially the part where Mac retired from the Phoenix because apparently Nikki'd gotten pregnant and had his kid? And then died and left the kid to Mac?? And then he adopted a baby created by a cult of scientists using some of Mac's sperm from that time he and Jack had donated it after Nigeria??? What even was his wunderkind's life, honestly.

"They know who you are, by the way," Mac said, after a pause. "The kids, I mean. I got your cigar box after... Well, after, and your spare dog tags; it sits on the mantle, usually, but every so often Brady'll ask me to take it down, and I will, and I'll tell him and Eli about my best friend, my soulmate, and the many adventures we'd go on together." He chuckled lightly. "They're gonna love you, ya know; Brady'll talk for hours with you, and Eli'll play with your necklace all day if you let her, she loves everything shiny. She hasn't started talking quiet yet but I expect it to be soon, maybe you can coax some words out her."

Jack smiled wistfully. "I can't wait to meet them, hoss; I'm sure they're every bit as wonderful as their dad." And he couldn't be sure in the darkness, but Jack thought a blush was staining Mac's cheeks at that.

* * *

* * *

_Mac watched quietly in a hangar in Texas as the army men quietly unloaded the caskets cloaked in flags. They were all empty, just like the holes left in the hearts of those that loved the people they represented. One by one, each member of the strike team was given a eulogy, the flag folded for a grieving spouse, or child, or parent, or someone else who loved them just as fiercely. Last came the eulogy for Jack, the flag folded and handed to Mac, who handed it to a quietly crying Riley, who handed it to Bozer... On down the line, through every person that Jack had touched, until finally it reached Elizabeth, with two pairs of dog tags around her neck representing husband and son, namesake and first-born. Later, they'd gather together on Mac's deck, quietly sharing stories and tears, reading letters that they had never wanted to see, and reminiscing over what they'd lost._

* * *

Today, in a hangar in Los Angeles, the mood is much more joyous, befitting a soldier finally returning home. Family, friends, coworkers; everyone that Jack had ever touched was back again, ready to celebrate his return to life. And nothing was so momentous as the cheers that echoed when the jet finished taxiing, and the first members of the TAC teams exited, followed by Sam and Bozer (who'd already gotten in their reunion hugs at exfil), the McGarrett-Williams's (bickering quietly, of course), Desi, and finally, Mac and Jack, who waved shyly, unused to the attention.

One by one the remaining members of his family reunited with Jack, starting with a firm, teary hug from his mother. "Missed you, Mama," Jack whispered tearfully into Elizabeth's neck.

"Missed you too, JJ."

Riley was next, with Jack fawning over her baby bump as much as she fawned over Jack and his scars; he was more than a little surprised to find that her wayward spouse was actually Jill, busy herding the young Bozers into a play area, but he was happy for her all the same. 

Matty had him bend down only to slap him over the head and tell him never to worry her like that again, then pulled him into her own tearful hug when he laughed.

Mac watched as Jack greeted everyone, hugged loved ones, talked with friends and acquaintances, got a round of back-patting hugs from his Delta's, and in general had a lovely time being reunited with everyone. Mac smiled softly, happy for his love, when a sudden shout drew his attention.

"Daddy!!" Mac turned to find Brady running for him from the door, grinning widely. Eliza was hot on his heels, her stubby legs carrying her as fast as they could go. Mac smiled brightly, kneeling on the floor with his arms outstretched to catch his little twosome.

"Hey!! There you two are, I missed you so much!!!" Both children giggled as he gathered them up in his arms. "Did you guys have fun while I was gone?"

"Yeah! Valerie's daddy is so cool, we had so much fun!!" Mac listened intently as Brady launched into a play-by-play of their time with Valerie's father, gesturing wildly as he spoke. Eliza, meanwhile, cuddled into her father's side for a moment, but slipped away soon after, more interested in the strange new people all around her. She toddled around the hangar, smiling at everyone who noticed her and cooed, eventually making her way to where Jack was talking with Worthy. She recognized his face from her Daddy's mantle pictures, so she stuck herself to Jack's leg, talking in baby babble to get his attention.

Jack looked down and grinned widely at the cute little toddler at his feet. "Well hello there, little lady! And who might you be?" Eli giggled and babbled, so Jack picked her up so he could see her better. "Are you the famous Eliza May I've heard so much about? Huh?" Considering she immediately latched onto Jack's St Michael's medal, he took that as a yes. "Your daddy was right, you're a sweetheart. He also said you hadn't started talkin' yet; maybe you've got somethin' to say to ol' Jackie boy? Hmm?"

Eliza looked at him, big brown eyes searching his face quizzically as only a very young child can do, before giving her answer.

"Papa! Papa Papa Papa Papa!"

Jack was confused, but a sharp inhale behind him took his attention. He turned to see Mac had approached, no doubt looking for his wayward daughter, only to stop dead in his tracks, tears welling in his eyes and a hand covering his mouth. "Mac? Darlin', what's she talkin' about? Who's Papa?"

"You are, Jack," Mac whispered. "She-- the experimental tech they used, when they made her, it combined the DNA of two sperm cells. The science is complicated, but basically... She's yours _and_ mine, Jack, and I've always called you her Papa when I talked about you, showed her your picture." He paused, swallowing nervously while Jack looked back and forth between him and the baby in awe. "You... You could help me raise her, if you want. Raise both of them. I know we only... That this is still new, despite the years since we shared that night, but you're the only one I want, the missing piece in my life. If you still want it, my heart has always been yours."

Jack stared at the little girl in his arms, love shining in his eyes. Nuzzling his nose with hers to hear her giggle again, he made his decision.

"Til we kaboom, baby, I meant it then and I mean it now. Let's raise some kids together." And he reeled Mac in for a kiss, the kind that puts all others to shame, as the room echoed with cheers.

Fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Arista Ramirez loses her parents in a car accident at 8 years old. She's thrown into the foster system, but eventually meets Maria Bradley, a woman with a husband and children but was looking for one more family member. She's adopted, and comes to live on Wildfire Ranch. She looks up to her Aunt Elizabeth, and enjoys when her cousin Brady comes to visit.


	6. Sarah Smiles Like Sarah Doesn't Care (Does He Know That My Destiny Lies With Him?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack faces his past and realizes who he wants to be his future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Works best if you listen to Sarah Smiles by Panic! At the Disco while reading.

Jack suddenly found himself in a white void. He whipped his head left and right, trying to find any distinguishing items or figures, but there was nothing there. Confused, he turned back around only to find someone else in the void with him. She chuckled as he stumbled back in shock.

"Sarah?! What're you doin' here?"

"Hi Jack," Sarah Adler replied, reaching out a hand. "I'm here to show you some things, if you'll let me."

Jack was suspicious, but something was urging him forward, so he reluctantly took Sarah's hand and walked forward. Suddenly the void bloomed into a room in a house he didn't recognize. Everything was unfamiliar, except for certain small things; the hat upon the coat rack, the cigar box on the shelf, that damned Telly Savalas painting, they all belonged to him. This was somewhere he lived, but he'd never lived in a house like this before.

"Sarah, where are we?"

"We're home, of course! The kids'll be home from school soon, by the way; they'll want to tell you all about your day." Sarah came up close to Jack, holding both his hands in hers. "It's everything you've ever wanted, right, Jack?"

Jack looked into those lovely eyes he'd fallen for so long ago, pulled in by their gaze, and searched Sarah's face for any trace of a lie; he found none. She was right, this was everything he'd ever wanted, once: a happy, stable family with Sarah. 

So why did it feel so wrong?

He sighed in defeat, and took a step back, his hands leaving Sarah's reluctantly. "No, Sarah, this is wrong; I passed this opportunity by a long time ago. This should be your home with your real husband, your kids with him, not me. This ain't what I want, anymore." As he spoke he thought he caught a flash of leather brown out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned there was nothing there. He turned back only to find Sarah had stepped back, her husband at her side. The room no longer had Jack's things in it, and everything clicked into place.

"Thank you, Jack; you chose the right thing, not saying anything at the wedding. You're free now, go find that destiny you're searching for." And before Jack could say anything, the house and Sarah herself melted away, leaving a white void again.

"What the-?!"

"There you are, cowboy! I was beginning to think you weren't coming," a familiar voice taunted. Jack whirled to find Dawn standing in front of him, just like Sarah had what felt like only a moment before. "Come on, Jackie, let's go for a ride!" As she spoke, the GTO appeared at her side, and she hopped into the passenger seat with a flourish.

"...Okay, I guess," Jack said numbly, walking around the car and hopping into the driver's seat. Immediately the void around him melted away again, revealing a prairie flying past as they cruised down an empty highway somewhere in the Midwest. Dawn laughed as the wind blew through her hair, and Jack risked a glance to see how she was doing. He was awestruck by her beauty, and thought that maybe a life with Dawn wouldn't be so bad. Then he turned forward again only to find a police blockade had formed about a mile ahead.

"What the hell?!?" He went to slam on the breaks and shift gears, but Dawn's hand on his arm stopped him.

"They're after us, Jackie, you know that; that's the price of living on the run with me, staying in motels and pulling heists, staying one step ahead of the cops. It's dangerous, but that's what makes it fun! Don't you want this, Jackie?"

Jack kept his eyes resolutely forward, thinking about that even as he watched the sheriff's deputies swarm out of their vehicles. Did he want this? It could be fun, running with Dawn, not beholden to anyone anymore.... But he sighed, realizing he already knew the answer. He slammed on the breaks, stopping the GTO just in front of the blockade; the officers, for their part, looked confused at this turn of events. He turned to Dawn, who was still smiling, but for a split second he could have sworn he'd seen that smile on someone else's face. The thought slipped through his fingers immediately after though, so he just told her how he felt.

"Nah, Dawn, this... this isn't it. Maybe you could've fooled me into it once upon a time; God knows I would have fallen for your sweet little lies, but not now. I-" she stopped his speech with a single finger to his lips, a chuckle at her own.

"I already know this isn't you, Jack; you made the right choice by letting me go. Don't worry, I'll be just fine on my own; you find that path that's been calling you for years." With that, the scene melted away, leaving Jack in the void again.

"I'm gettin' real sick of bein' jerked around here," he groused. He turned around, resigned to whoever might be behind him to pull him into another scene. He gasped when he saw who was there, though. "Diane?!"

"What, were you expecting Shirley Temple?" The woman asked dryly. "Come on, Jack, don't you wanna know what could have been? What could still be, even now?" She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You could be happy, Jack."

Jack followed like a lost puppy, forever powerless to Diane's soft touch. The scene before him was at once new and yet achingly familiar; the house was the same as it had been when he'd last lived there, nearly 20 years before. Riley waved from a new couch, but the fireplace was the same, the wallpaper too. Diane placed a kiss on Jack's cheek. "Welcome home, Jack."

He looked around in wonder, but no matter where he looked, he felt like something was missing. "Where's..." But he stopped, not even sure who or what he was looking for. Riley gave him a knowing smile from above her computer screen. He finally sighed, realizing, at least in part, what was wrong. He turned to Diane, thinking idly that he should be looking into blue eyes, not brown, but the thought passed.

"No, Diane, this isn't. This isn't home. Maybe it could have been, once, but not now; we've grown too far apart, and you don't deserve a man that's gone for weeks on end, leavin' before you even wake up with barely a kiss on the cheek as a goodbye. Riley'll always be my little girl, but this... This'll never be a family unit."

Riley popped up to hug him even as Diane stepped back. "Took you long enough, Papa Bear; this works just fine for us, no need to push it into a box it doesn't belong in." She let him go, and wiped away a stray tear he hadn't realize had fallen. "Now, mom and I will be fine, Jack; you need to find the person you've been searching for all along." Before he could ask what she meant, she melted away with the rest of the scene.

This time, though, the void was swirling with color; scenes from futures once forgotten played on repeat all around him, each one a what-if featuring someone he'd loved. Distracted by the scenes, he almost didn't notice the shock of blonde hair wandering in front of him. He looked down, only to find the person had taken off in a jog. Something about them called to Jack, so he took off after them. "Hey!" He called, "Wait a second! Who'r you??"

The person didn't stop. 

As Jack chased them, more things about them came into focus, even as the scenes around him dissolved. Blonde hair, a brown leather jacket, the flash of sky blue eyes and a bright, sunshine smile in the reflection of a mirror... Jack knew this man, why did he know this man? 

Finally, the blonde stopped just out of reach, in front of one last scene. Jack could distantly hear the call of "Daddy! Come look what we made for Papa!" From within the scene, and suddenly a chord was struck inside his heart. This future, with whoever this man was, _that_ was what he'd been searching for this whole time. He ran forward, desperate to reach his destiny before the man entered the scene and disappeared forever. 

He managed to latch onto a sleeve. "Wait!" The blonde seemed to be in his own little world, even as he turned to smile at Jack.

"Well, Jack? Are you coming?"

"...Mac?"

* * *

Jack woke with a start, his former partner's name still on his lips. He looked around wildly, calming slightly when he recognized his team's camp. He sighed, putting his head in his hands, before reaching with one hand to grab the picture he kept beside him at all times.

He traced the lines of Mac's face, smiling softly. It had been a wild dream, for sure... But at least it had done the trick.

When he got back, Jack vowed that Mac would find out the true extent of Jack's love for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jack's been hunting Kovacs for a while and never actually told Mac how he felt; now, he's resolved to. (This leads to the reunion scene from chapter one or two of this collection, I don't recall which exactly.)
> 
> Inspired by the fact that if you think about it, the entire song Sarah Smiles fits Jack's love life and basically all of his love interests, with your li of choice being the one his destiny lies with. For me, that's Mac, but honestly it could go for whoever.


	7. The Birds and the Bees (and a Thing Called Love)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mac hears a very interesting question from Brady, and they have a little chat about where babies come from, and the people Mac has loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place shortly after Eliza arrives, quite unexpectedly, promoting the kids to wonder where she (and other babies) come from.

"Daddy! I have a question!"

Angus Macgyver-Dalton looked up from his desk, taking off his glasses as he set aside his pencil. He found his son Brady bouncing on his toes to his right, hands fiddling with a paperclip. To Mac's eye, it looked like a half-formed baby bottle; interesting. He spun to face Brady, giving him his full attention.

"I'm listening, what's your question?" Brady's eyes lit up at having Mac's undivided attention. He immediately launched into his question.

"So you brought home Eli, and she's great! But you 'nd Papa never explained where she came from, just that you adopted her, and me 'n Rissy realized we don't know where  _ we _ came from, so, daddy, where do babies come from?"

Mac blanched.

Oh.  _ Oh No _ .

He thought he'd have more time to prepare! He hadn't asked Grandpa Harry about babies until he was 12! Where was Jack when you needed him?!

Mac took a shaky breath, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "That's.... A complicated question, Brady, with a long and complicated answer."

Brady tilted his head in confusion. "Why is it complicated?"

"Because... It involves some grown-up stuff, ya know? Stuff that only grown-ups do, stuff that you don't need to worry about right now." A desperate hope, but maybe Brady would take that as an answer.

But when has Mac ever been that lucky.

"What kinda grown-up stuff?" Brady blinked innocently, still confused.

Mac sighed, resigned to his fate. "I'm really not getting out of this one, am I?" Brady shook his head slowly. Mac ran a hand through his hair, whipping it back out of his face, then gestured for Brady to come sit on his lap. Brady happily climbed up, always ready for cuddles with his Daddy. "Alright then, we'll get to the grown-up stuff eventually, but first I need to back track, cause actually, there's a couple different ways that babies are made, that involve different 'grown-up' things."

"There are?!" Brady interrupted. "I thought there was just one!"

Mac nodded. "Yup. See, for a long time, people did what most animals do to make babies; the, uh, 'natural' way, called sexual reproduction." Brady gave a confused look. "Reproduction is just a fancy word for 'baby-making', and sexual... Let's just say it involves grown-ups putting some specific body parts together to mix some very special cells together that grow into a baby; you remember my explanation of cells, right?"

Brady nodded. "They're what makes us up, we have different kinds that do different stuff, like breathing and feeling!" He looked thoughtful for a moment. "So... Grown-ups have special cells that make babies too?"

Mac smiled and nodded. "Yes! People who are born female have one type of special baby cell, and people who are born male have another; combine one of each of those different kinds, and in about 9 months it'll grow a baby, usually in the person born female's tummy." Mac paused, not sure how to continue. Eventually, he settled on saying, "There's a couple ways to get the cells in their tummy: the natural way, and an artificial way. The artificial way is new, it's only been around for a little while, and it's the way that Eliza was made."

Brady was wide-eyed. "Eli is an artificial baby?!?! Is she actually a robot??? She seems like a normal baby to me..."

Mac shushed him quickly. "No no!  _ Eli _ isn't an artificial baby; she's a perfectly normal, human baby! No, by artificial, I mean the cells that made her were carefully selected by doctors, and implanted into her biological mommy's tummy." He resolved to explain the truth of the matter later, figuring that this would suffice for now. "These special steps to make a specific baby, and using tools to put the cells in her mommy's tummy, are what made the process artificial. This is different from the natural way, which is random and not always looking for a baby."

Brady nodded, accepting this answer. He still looked like he had more questions, though, and voiced another. "So, how was I made, Daddy?"

Mac rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Well, you were made the, uh, the natural way, by accident. A good accident!" He hastened to add, "Not one that I've ever regretted! But it was an accident, getting your Mommy pregnant."

The boy in his lap looked pensive, eyes looking down at the ground for a moment, before slowly pivoting back up. "Is that why Mommy didn't tell you about me? Cause I was an accident?"

Mac struggled with that question. Did he tell the truth? That he had fallen out of love with his mother, and that's why he'd missed 5 years of his life? Did he accidentally demonize her by painting this as her own decision, tainting the image Brady had of Nikki in his mind? Neither route was easy and without pain. He looked into Brady's blue eyes, identical to his own in color but shaped like Nikki's, and found his answer.

He brought Brady in closer. "Brayden, I want you to know that despite our differences, neither your mother nor I ever regretted having you in our lives; the only thing I regret is not being there from the start, and I suspect your mother may have regretted that too. But, sometimes, hard choices have to be made, and at that time, there wasn't really a good way for her to tell me about you, so she kept you a secret. And that's the thing about secrets: once you start keeping one, especially a big one, it likes to snowball and become bigger. One year becomes two, becomes three, becomes 5, and you keep finding reasons not to tell the secret cause it's easier to stay silent, for better or for worse. And that's what your Mommy did, until... She couldn't, anymore, and I finally got to meet you, but not in the way I wanted to." Mac sighed softly. "I wish it had gone differently, but we can't change the past, or other people's decisions, we can only change our own."

"Did you love her, Daddy?" A pause. "Did you love Mommy like you love Papa now?"

Mac chuckled wetly. "At one time, I thought I did; you know, very briefly, before things got complicated with Nikki, I thought she might be the person I'd marry." Brady gasped. "Crazy to think about now, huh? But I loved her, I was her partner for two years. Then, some bad things happened, and I thought she'd died. Then she came back, and she was mean; she broke my heart, first by pretending to die, then coming back and making me think she'd done something terrible. Later, she finally told me that she hadn't, that she'd been pretending to be a bad guy so she could bring down some actual bad guys, but... It hurt, enough that while part of me still loved her, loves her even now that she's gone, I stopped being in love with her." Mac let out a soft sigh, then smiled down at Brady. "But that last time I spent with her, bittersweet as it was, gave me you, so it wasn't all bad. And it sounds like she took very good care of you, those first 5 years, which I'll always be grateful to her for."

Brady buried his face in Mac's shirt, emotions overwhelming the both of them. Eventually he pulled his face back out, eyes red with unshed tears. In a shaky voice, he asked one more question. "Would you have stayed with Mommy if you'd known about me?" 

And Mac... Didn't know how to answer that one either.

"I don't know. I might have tried, feeling obligated to make something work so that we'd be a parental unit for you, but... Brady, we were so different by the end, I don't think that would have worked." He paused, a sudden realization coming to him. "And even if I could go back and tell myself that I had a child, I'm not sure I would; because in that world, I wouldn't have told Papa how I felt about him, and no matter what other trials we've been through, I don't regret them for a moment because they let me spend the rest of my life with him." He smiled sadly. "I loved Nikki, but I'm in love with your Papa, and I love him more than I've ever loved anyone else, except maybe for you and your sisters." Brady brightened at this statement, always ready to hear about his fathers' relationship.

"When did you fall in love with Papa? Was it after Mommy left?"

Mac chuckled ruefully. "No, actually; I loved him long before I met your mother, I just didn't realize it; then I realized it, but feared that he didn't love me back like that, and fear is a strong motivator. It was only about a year before we found out about you that we actually realized that we'd secretly loved each other for longer than you've been alive now!"

Brady gasped. "No!! A whole 8 years Daddy?!?!" Mac nodded. "But that's so loooonngggg!"

"I know! But we were scared of getting hurt, so we didn't say anything; that just hurt us more in the long run though, cause we tried to love other people and it never worked, it just made us sad cause they weren't ever who we really wanted. We figured it out in the end though, and that's what matters."

Brady nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Now you're in love and you get to be my Daddies for ever and ever and ever!!" Mac laughed at Brady's enthusiasm, bringing him in close and nuzzling their noses together.

"Exactly, and there's no better job in the world!"

"Did I hear somethin' about the best job in the world?" A new voice called. "Cause the answer's always gonna be bein' a Dad, hands down."

"Papa!" Brady scrambled out of Mac's lap and ran up to Jack, who picked him up with a hearty chuckle and spun him around to rest across his back. Mac laughed, standing up himself to stretch his legs, then walking up to his husband and son a moment later. He planted a soft kiss on Jack's lips, brushing his nose with the older man's before stepping back with a smile.

"What were y'all talkin' about, huh? Somethin' serious?" Mac looked away nervously, running a hand through his hair again.

Brady piped up with the answer. "Daddy was telling me 'bout where babies come from!" Jack's eyes widened as he stared at his husband, barely hearing the rest of Brady's words. "He said there's two ways to make a baby, and told me about the artificial way that made Ellie-May, but we kinda got distracted before he could tell me other way. So, now I gotta know, how did my cells end up in Mommy's tummy, huh?"

Jack nearly dropped the 8-year-old at the question, instead letting him down from his back gently. Meanwhile Mac quickly slipped around them to the door, and turned around in the doorway. "That's a great question, Brady! And I would  _ love _ to answer it, but I just remembered that I told Meema I'd help her with something, so I'm gonna go do that; I'm sure Papa can answer that for you though! I'll let him do that and I'll be back in 30 minutes, 'k bye!"

"wAIT BABE-" But Mac was already out the door and down the hall. Jack sighed, then looked down at Brady, who was wide eyed. The Texan dropped wearily into the chair recently vacated by his Californian husband, and rubbed a hand across his beard.

"Aiight, buddy, let's do this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah if you were wanting an explanation of how babies are made naturally you've come to the wrong place, cause idk how to explain that to an 8 year old and neither does Mac 😅. And therein, of course, lies the joke.


	8. When Destiny Calls You, You Must Be Strong (You'll Be In My Heart)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four kids ask about love, and four parents answer them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This particular short story is divided into four parts by line breaks, each focusing on a child-parent pair.
> 
> In Part 1 ONLY, italics indicate a verbal emphasis on a word.
> 
> In Parts 3 and 4 ONLY, italics indicate words spoken in a language other than Standard American English. In Part 3, the language is Finnish; in Part 4, the language is Spanish.
> 
> Glossary of non-translated words:  
> Isä-Dad, Daddy (Finnish)  
> Kulta-Dear, Dearest (Finnish term of endearment)  
> Mamá-Mom, Mommy, Mother (Spanish)  
> Papí-Dad, Daddy (Spanish)  
> Mi Corazon/todo mi corazon-My Heart (Spanish term of endearment)/my whole heart, all my heart (Spanish)  
> Loppu-The End (Finnish)  
> El Fin-The End (Spanish)

**Part 1: Eliza May Dalton-Macgyver**

"Papa!"

Jack looked up over his reading glasses as Eliza May, his youngest little girl, galloped up to his chair. He sat down the crossword puzzle he'd been working on (couldn't make hide nor hair of it anyways) and spread out his arms in invitation, grinning merrily. "Ellie-girl! How was school? Learn anything exciting?"

Eliza laughed as she clambered up into her father's lap, briefly kissing him on his bearded cheek (nearly all grey, now, Mac had been teasing for months that he finally looked his age) before settling in to talk about her day. "Oh we learned LOTS of stuff! Like multiplication, and melodies, and monkeys! But the MOST fun part was Story Time; we got to hear fairytales, like the one about a princess who never smiled, and a princess wearing a wooden coat, and a princess who was lighter than air! They were all so cool, and the best part was, they all found their One True Love's by the end, Papa! Can you believe it? It's so _romantic_."

Jack chuckled at his daughter's rambling. "I think you're a little young for romance, kiddo."

Eliza nodded, sighing once again. But then she perked up, looking at Jack with wide, earnest eyes. "But YOU'RE not too young for romance, Papa! So you can tell me, have you ever found your One True Love?"

Jack leaned back a little, rubbing at his beard. Had he found his One True Love? Was there even any such thing? He thought about all the people he'd loved in his ever-lengthening life; Diane came to mind immediately, she'd felt like True Love, once. But then he remembered why they'd split up, why he never felt he could be completely himself around her (because he could never be fully honest), and dismissed the thought. So of course, his thoughts went to Mac. Sweet Mac, who'd fistfought him when they'd first met; surely that meant it couldn't be True Love, right? But then he remembered all the times he and Mac had just... Clicked, working together like a well-oiled machine and talking in half sentences cause they could finish each other's thoughts; every moment they were together just seemed _right_ , somehow.

Jack finally leaned forward, and gave his answer. "Yes. Once."

"How did it end?"

Jack glanced up at the living room before him, strewn with children's toys and coloring books, hunting magazines and tractor manuals, paperclips and half-built projects. He looked up at the mantle, at his Pop's cigar box, flanked on one side by a framed patent, and on the other a framed family portrait, all three kids backed by two loving fathers. A whole lifetime's worth of intersections in one little room.

Jack smiled wistfully, one corner of his mouth turned up. "It hasn't."

* * *

**Part 2: Brayden Michael Carpenter**

Nikki Carpenter stared pensively down at the photograph in her hand. She didn't keep many in her home, a paranoia left over from her active CIA and DXS days, but this one she'd kept ever since she found out about her pregnancy. A corner of her mouth quirked up, an echo of the vibrant, light-filled smile worn by the man in the photo.

"Mommy!" Nikki looked up to find a smaller version of that same smile beaming up at her. "I gots a question, Mommy!"

She set the photo aside and smiled softly. "Yes, Brady? What is it?"

Brady bent his head and twirled his toe against the floor, uncharacteristically nervous. "Mommy, have you ever been in love?"

The color drained from Nikki's face as she stilled completely. She didn't know how to answer that. Had she loved Mac, or any of the boyfriends before him? She thought she had, once, but now... Now she wasn't so sure. But she didn't have any other answer, and Brady was looking at her so earnestly...

"I thought I was, once." She hoped he'd accept that.

Brady stared up at her for a moment, as if taking that in. Then he smiled and clapped his hands. "Ok!" He paused a moment. "Then what happened Mommy? How did it end?"

Nikki felt the unexpected pinprick of tears at the backs of her eyes, tears she hadn't shed since she'd been placed permanently on desk duty. She forced them back, tears wouldn't fix anything, and she gathered Brady up into her lap. She sighed, then said, fibbing just a bit but she knew Brady wouldn't know the difference, "with hope, that one day we'd meet again."

* * *

**Part 3: Erik Bradley Lichtenson**

A commotion came from the front door as Raina Brantley emerged from her home office. She froze, listening intently as her eyes zeroed in on a potential escape path and weapons, but she relaxed as she recognized the voices speaking rapid Suomi echoing through the halls. She smiled softly, and tiptoed down the hallway to the living room, where her husband and son were just sitting down to talk about Erik's day at school. It was a daily routine that had started the week after they'd brought Erik home for good, a way for them to bond and for Aleks to show that he was interested in their son's life. Rai had a similar bonding time in the mornings while Aleks was already working, since she'd been allowed to work remotely for 6 months; she'd make breakfast and help Erik get ready for his day, discussing whatever came to mind that morning before taking him over to the local elementary school.

Rai came to a silent stop in the doorway, catching the tail end of the boys' conversation; after three years of learning and living with Aleksandr, she could confidently say she was fluent in Suomi, so she had no trouble following what was said between the two of them.

_"...and then he betrayed her, Isä! He left her to freeze, after he said he'd loved her! And he tried to hurt poor Elsa! But Anna saved her just as she froze solid, and it broke the curse!"_

_"I see, I see; and what did the teacher say about the story afterwards, hm?"_

_"He said that love can overcome all sorts of things, even magic, but that Love At First Sight wasn't real, not the way Anna thought it was anyways."_ Erik paused for a moment, lost in thought, before he looked up with wide blue eyes. _"Isä, do you believe in Love at First Sight?"_

Rai's eyes went wide at that question, and she was sure Aleks' did the same as he went still in his chair. She came forward, ready to intervene, but as she looked up into the mirror across the room, she met Aleks' eyes in it. They shared a look, then his eyes softened and he minutely shook his head before looking over at Erik, who was oblivious to his adopted mother's approach.

_"....yes, but it's only a little bit of love, held in that first glance,"_ Aleksandr started to explain. _"Every first something builds a little more: the first brush of fingers, first words, first laugh, first kiss..."_ He trailed off, glancing back over to the mirror and catching Raina's gaze. _"They all build up, until one day you realize you've been in love for so long you no longer remember where it started. And then each kiss, each word, each touch of your hands, feels brand new, and you fall in love all over again."_ Here he stopped, looking back down at Erik. _"Does that answer your question, kulta?_ "

Erik nodded vigorously. _"Uh-huh!!! That was beautiful Isä!!!! Does Mommy know you feel that way???"_

Rai took that moment to come up into view behind them and reply in English. "I do now."

* * *

**Part 4: Arista Ramirez**

_"Now, mi corazon, let's put the dish in the oven, yes? Careful now, don't burn yourself!"_ Arista Ramirez nodded resolutely as she took one of the panhandles from her mother and gently guided it to rest on the pulled-out oven rack. Then Josephine used her mitt-covered hand to push the rack into the oven and close the door. _"There! We'll wait 30 minutes, and then the cake will be done! Won't Papí be so surprised when he comes home and finds out we baked him a birthday cake."_

Arista nodded again once, in a very succinct manner; she was saving all her enthusiasm for _Papí's_ birthday party, after all. She looked back at the cake pan in the oven, proud of her work, but then a thought crossed her mind, and she looked back up at her _Mamá_. _"Mamá, why do we bake a cake for Papí's birthday?"_

Josephine smiled down at her only daughter, guiding her out of the kitchen as she spoke. _"We bake him a cake and throw him a party to show your Papí that we love him, of course; we show him that we care, that we want to celebrate important days with him and that we'll take the time to do something special for him."_

Arista nodded as she sat down in her little chair. This seemed like a reasonable answer, because she did love her _Papí_ a lot, and she wanted to celebrate his birthday with him; she assumed _Mamá_ did too. But now she had another question.

_"Mamá, what is love?"_

That seemed to startle her _Mamá_ a bit, cause her eyes grew as big as the dinner plates in the cabinet. Arista giggled at the sight, but quickly quieted, waiting eagerly to hear her mother's answer.

Josephine took a long moment to come up with an answer, but finally, she spoke. _"Love is.... Seeing a sunset, and wanting to share it with someone. Love is making someone's favorite dish, just to make them happy. Love is making a silly face so that you can hear that special laugh, the one from deep in their belly. Love is baring your deepest secrets to someone, hoping they'll see them and still decide, 'I choose you anyways. I choose to love you and all your flaws, all your secrets, all your pain. I see it all, and I love you anyways.' Love is seeing someone for who they are, and deciding that your life would be all the better with them in it. That, mi corazon, is love."_

Arista looked up at her _Mamá_ in awe. _"Whoooaaaahhh."_

_"Whoah, indeed,"_ Josephine chuckled.

_"I wanna feel love like that, Mamá! It sounds wonderful!"_

_"It is, Arista, it really is. And you don't even have to wait to feel love like that, cause it's not just for couples, like Papí and I. It's for families and friends too."_ That brought a wide grin to Arista's face, and she leapt into Josephine's lap.

_"I'm gonna love you like that then, Mamá! With aaaalllll my heart!"_

Her _Mamá_ cuddled her in tightly, laughing at her daughter's enthusiasm. _"And I will do just the same, for you already are todo mi corazon!"_

_Loppu y El Fin_


End file.
